4 effective ways to close a meeting

Some people are eager to leave the room the moment they realise that the meeting is about to end, unaware that closing the meeting is one of the most important phases to summarise and tie up any loose ends regarding the agenda.

Two Businessmen Shaking Hands in a Meeting

Without the assurance of effective closure procedures you could be wasting your time and money, especially when you are leasing a training room in London.

It does not need to be lengthy – it just has to be precise. To ensure you close your meeting effectively, apply these four tips:

1.   Add the meeting’s closure to the agenda

If you are presiding the meeting, make sure the closure appears on the agenda and highlight it as important. Allot the final 5 minutes of the meeting this process, taking note that it needs to be done within the meeting timeframe.

2.   Quickly run through the outcomes

As the speaker, try to acknowledge whether the desired outcomes have been achieved. Make sure that you get commitment from the tasks and that each task is assigned to a participant with a target date of accomplishment.

3.   Encourage everyone to communicate

Initiate interaction by asking open-ended questions like “Is there anything you want to add before we conclude the meeting?”

The questions can take a general or specific approach. The essence of this tip is to make every participant feel connected. It implies that you value their opinion and that will surely boost their confidence.

4.   Take note of the key takeaways

Insightful ideas come up when the speaker encourages everyone to participate. Make sure that these key takeaways are captured and noted. Also, do not forget to share them in the meeting notes for future meetings and recommendations.

Without an effective closure process, participants may end up confused and frustrated because they are not able to say what is on their minds. This may cause negative effects to the participants and ultimately, to the outcome of the agenda.

Posted by Andrew Issott

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